The invention relates to a connecting arrangement between a plastic component with at least two mutually adjacent and at least approximately parallel walls, and another structural element, having at least one force transmission element in frusto-conical (truncated cone) or spherical segment-shaped depressions in the mutually adjacent walls of the plastic component. The force transmission element has or forms a support structure for the other structural element. DE 103 05 015 A1 is hereby cited as prior art.
In the field of vehicle construction, as part of efforts to achieve lightweight construction, both larger structural body components and even entire vehicle bodies are made of fiber-reinforced plastic. However, in vehicles—for example passenger vehicles with plastic bodies—there are also components which are attached to the plastic vehicle structure, and which transmit relatively large forces and/or torques into this structure and/or into the structural component. From DE 103 05 015 A1 named above, a force transmission device is known for a plastic structural component, which is optimized for favorable force transmission, wherein this structural component can also be designed with two walls—meaning having two walls which are at least approximately parallel to each other—and wherein the force transmission device is supported on the two walls of the structural component, in depressions, and is glued to the same for this purpose. This known force transmission device is designed with a hybrid construction, and is therefore relatively complex. Furthermore, in this prior art, the arrangement and/or assembly of the force transmission device on the two walls of the plastic structural component is also relatively difficult.
There is therefore needed a force transmission device for a plastic component, having at least two mutually adjacent and approximately parallel walls, and/or for a connection arrangement between such a plastic component and another structural element, particularly for the field of vehicle construction, the same having a relatively simple design and being particularly simple to install.
This need is met by providing a connection arrangement wherein the force transmission element is composed only of a metal material with the exception of an optionally added coating, and has a disk or plate matched to the frusto-conical or spherical segment-shaped depression in an outer wall of the plastic component which is adjacent to the other structural element, and therefore seated against the outer wall of the plastic component, in this depression, with an adhesive layer between the same. The edge of the disk or plate lies on the outer wall in the proximity of the depression with adhesive between the same. The disk or plate is connected to an end section of the force transmission element via a web. The end section is matched to the frusto-conical or spherical segment-shaped depression in the other inner wall of the plastic component with an adhesive layer between the same. The depression in the outer wall is constructed, in any case, without a floor, such that the end section of the force transmission element can be inserted through the outer wall into the depression in the inner wall. A support structure is molded onto the disk or plate and/or into the web of the force transmission element.
First, a force transmission element and/or a connection element which is simple to produce, and simultaneously sufficiently solid, is created by the same consisting essentially of only a metal material and/or being molded from such a material. However, it can optionally be necessary to coat the surface of the metallic force transmission element to prevent corrosion—meaning to cover the same with a suitable protective layer. However, this changes nothing in the metallic material of the force transmission element, which is therefore not constructed of a combination of a metal and non-metal.
Adhesive connections between this metallic material, and/or the surface coating of the force transmission element, and the fiber-reinforced plastic material of the plastic component, are likewise easy to produce, and as such are able to hold sufficiently securely, due to the two connection regions, the same having a truncated cone shape, by way of example, in the depressions of the two adjacent walls of the plastic component, wherein the same can be formed from right-angle circular cones. If, however, frusto-conical shaped connecting regions are formed from cones having elliptical base areas, or inclined cones, then it is possible to achieve a further increased resistance to rotation of the force transmission element relative to the plastic component. In cases where such increased rotation protection is not required, a spherical segment-shaped connection region can be included between a spherical segment-shaped depression and an accordingly adapted section, the same molded as a spherical segment, or a disk, of the force transmission element, instead of the frusto-conical shaped connection region, wherein such a spherical segment shape can be produced relatively easily. In this context, a further advantage is hereby named, namely a significant enlargement of the adhesion surface—meaning the surface over which the layer of adhesive can act—said enlargement resulting from the frusto-conical shape or the spherical segment shape of the connection region between the force transmission element and the plastic component, and/or the depressions molded into the walls thereof.
Because the disk or plate of the force transmission element, which is positioned in a frusto-conical or spherical segment-shaped depression of the outer wall which is adjacent to the structural element being fastened, is additionally seated on this outer wall in the region of the depression, via the edge region of said force transmission element, the force transmission element is also stably supported on the plastic component and/or at least on the outer wall thereof, for the transmission and/or receipt of torques. In this case, a force transmission element according to the invention can be easily inserted into a corresponding plastic component having at least two walls which are adjacent to each other and at least approximately parallel to each other, by the end section thereof, which is functionally assigned to the depression in the inner wall, being able to be inserted through the outer wall, which has a corresponding passage in the depression for the force transmission element and/or the disk or plate thereof, into the depression of the inner wall, with a layer of glue in-between.
As far as the support structure for the other structural element which is attached to the plastic component and/or supported on the same is concerned, it can either be formed by the disk or plate of the force transmission element itself, or a fastening element can be molded onto this disk or plate, and/or the web of the force transmission element named above can be molded as the fastening element—for example by the same having a hollow construction and being configured with a thread for the purpose of accommodating a fastening screw. Of course, the disk or plate and the end section of the force transmission element can also be connected to each other by multiple webs or the like.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.